Author's Note: Just wanted to say I really appreciate all the feedback you guys give me. Really. I do. I know this story isn't for everybody, but for those who enjoy it, thank you for your continual support. This will be the last chapter for a while as another semester begins, but with luck I'll be able to post either when I'm on break or have some stuff to debut once all is said and done. Now, allow me to introduce... Darth Sidious.


Chapter 14: Know Your Place

Location: Serenno

"Any hierarchy is designed by those at the top."

Alone in his private sanctum, Count Dooku knelt before a holographic render of his Master, the Sith Lord Darth Sidious. Dooku was feeling particularly wary on this occasion as the matter at hand was the well being and functionality of his now preferred soldier: The Wraith. Pomel Scipio had recently contacted him with some rather troubling news concerning Wraith's psyche and his recent actions on Gwori.

"You are wise to inform me of this development, my apprentice." Sidious growled. While his face remained hooded and cloaked in shadow, the Sith could still command a very terrifying presence. "As you see, my concerns about Wraith have proven true."

"It pains me to hear of such ill tidings, but I thought it best you be aware of this matter." Dooku replied. "I too find it troubling that he would seemingly fall for a Jedi."

"As Jedi can be swayed to the Dark Side, so can a Separatist fall for the light." Sidious replied. "We must take immediate action to ensure such a powerful weapon does not fall into Republic hands. It would be the demise of the Separatists if The Wraith were to switch sides." Dooku nodded, knowing his master also understood the gravity of such a situation. Sidious was the true founder of the Separatist, the de facto leader with power even greater than Count Dooku. While the Council often sought Dooku out for leadership, it was Sidious who was the true master of the CIS. This union of businessmen had him to thank for the spawning of such a galactic movement, the ultimate engine of change that would force the Republic to accept them lest they be destroyed. Dooku trusted his master greatly, knowing whatever he did was for the betterment and survival of the Separatist Alliance.

But, unbeknownst to Count Dooku, Darth Sidious had his own agenda in mind.

The Sith Lord saw the Separatists as a means to an end, a simple pathway for him to establish a new empire that ruled the galaxy. He did not care a great deal for the movement as he let on, only wishing to use them as a means to achieve his own objectives. But this plan was a secret, known only by Sidious. And his plans were at risk as long as people like The Wraith were around to keep the Separatists functional instead of disposable.

Whether he knew it or not, Wraith was becoming a problem.

Right now, Sidious was playing the dangerous game of ensuring his ultimate plan did not fail while also maintaining a posture that sought to protect the CIS at all costs. If he failed to keep this appearance for even a moment, perhaps even his own apprentice would turn on him. "I sense The Wraith is growing proud of his accomplishments. Such pride can lead to feelings of entitlement, something that if he does not receive from the Separatists, he may very well seek out the Republic." Sidious grimly mused. While Dooku thought the notion of Wraith joining the Separatists to be ill founded and impossible, the notion still existed. "These feelings must be forcefully put out of Wraith, he must be reminded of his place as a servant of the cause." The Sith Lord determined. "If we do not, I fear we may permanently lose him to his own selfish ambitions."

"But what must we do?" Dooku wondered, not wanting to lose such a valuable asset. "Surely Wraith can be corrected."

"And if he cannot... then we must remove him from the equation altogether." Sidious replied. Dooku nodded in understanding. "Have the Pau'un doctor and Wraith meet us on Serenno. I will see to Wraith's... rehabilitation, personally." Dooku noted the threatening edge to his master's voice when he said 'rehabilitation' but also understood that he would do whatever it took to ensure results were made.

"As you command, my Master." Dooku replied with a bow as Sidious ended the communication. Straightening up, Dooku moved to contact Pomel Scipio and invite both him and The Wraith to one of Dooku's hideouts on his homeworld of Serenno. As he did so, the count quietly hoped that the actions of his master would not completely drive The Wraith from their service.

He knew Darth Sidious was capable of being a little... extreme at times.


The other day...

Scipio was finishing Wraith's debrief of the events of Gwori, making several notes on his ability to adapt under stressful circumstances. However, one issue kept bugging the doctor as he reviewed the footage from Wraith's helmet again and again, specifically one particular moment near the end of his encounter.

"He hesitates." Scipio mused. "He should be riding the adrenaline high from having butchered several Jedi and Clones... but he hesitates when he sees her." Scipio sat back, rubbing his chin as the moment replayed on the screens before him again. "This doesn't make any sense. He's never hesitated before." When the issue first appeared, the doctor found it to be simply odd and a little out of character for Wraith. But as he continued to watch the moment over and over again, he began to grow concerned.

Wraith was acting contradictory to how he should be.

Rising from his seat Scipio retrieved several of his earlier logs from the testing phases of the Sunstorm serum, determined to figure out once and for all why Wraith would act so contrary to character in this moment. The doctor poured over his notes and calculations, scanning over the results of countless tests performed while the boy was a youth. Scipio mentally performed calculations based upon notes he'd jotted down on the serum's functionality, how it was supposed to interact with specific areas of the brain and how it would affect certain personality elements. All of them indicated that Wraith should not have hesitated in that moment. Scipio was growing more and more concerned with each set of notes he studied. Wraith had always performed as expected, even surpassing initial calculations but always providing desired results.

This behavior demanded an explanation.

"Wraith, I need to speak with you. Come and find me in the briefing room." Scipio called over his personal communication system. Sitting back in his chair, the Pau'un finished the debrief and turned back to his notes, wanting to be absolutely certain of the situation he was facing. The sound of heavy metal footwear clunking down the hall indicated the arrival of his creation.

"You summoned me, Doc?" Wraith asked, announcing his presence. "Is it another mission?" He asked, hopeful.

"No, no. I'm just finishing some reports on your last mission and I needed to speak with you about a... discrepancy I have discovered." Scipio explained. Wraith cocked his head, wondering if his equipment were malfunctioning. "Tell me, and be perfectly honest," Scipio continued, "how did it feel to eradicate such a task force like this?"

"As always, I take great pleasure in destroying Republic operatives." Wraith plainly stated.

"So... the Clones. How did you feel when you destroyed them?" Scipio asked, trying to break things down so he could build up to his big question. Wraith's response was quick.

"I enjoy the rush of battle. But Clones are almost too easy sometimes. I often wish they would put up a fight." He explained. "In a way, that encounter was... fun. I enjoy any opportunity to spill Clone blood, watching it stain their pristine white armor."

"So you enjoyed yourself." Scipio mused. "And the Jedi? How did you feel when you killed them?" Wraith took a little longer to respond this time.

"I felt... empowered. The Jedi are a symbol of strength and power to the Republic. My killing them makes that symbol crumble, proving my superiority over even the likes of them. If I can fell a Jedi... then who can't I fell?"

"I see." Scipio turned back to the screen before him and paused the recording, right when Wraith's gaze was fixated on Ahsoka. "Then tell me, if you killed the Jedi in order to prove your superiority, why didn't you kill her?" He asked, pointing to the screen. "The apprentice of Skywalker?" Wraith paused as his gaze was drawn towards the image on the screen. A familiar pulse began to beat within him, the same one that started once he realized that Ahsoka was the only Jedi still alive, left alone with him. The soldier quickly gathered his thoughts and planned out a logical explanation.

"I did not realize she had accompanied them. I only realized her presence moments after I killed that Rodian, when it occurred to me that someone had to have knocked out the security hub. I came across her moments later and decided to make use of some fear tactics to make my presence known."

"That doesn't explain why you didn't kill her." Scipio interjected.

"I had planned to interrogate her, to find out how the Republic managed to get in and glean whatever information I could from her." Wraith replied, believing his explanation would be satisfactory. Instead, Scipio arched an eyebrow.

"If you wanted to interrogate someone, why not capture one of the other Jedi?" He questioned. Wraith suddenly realized he had been caught in a predicament. He had chosen his course of action only upon realizing Ahsoka's presence and after he had taken a... tactical analysis of her body. In the end, Wraith did not want to harm such an exotic creature, not when he could get up close and personal with her in an interrogation.

He realized now that his hormones had guided this decision, not his mind. He first realized it back on Tibrin, but now every time he had thought of or seen the adolescent Togruta that was Ahsoka Tano, Wraith couldn't help but feel... something. He wasn't quite sure if it was her presence or her appearance, but he was determined to keep this a secret until a later time when he could reveal his feelings on his terms. Wraith quickly began to devise a very believable excuse to cover up the warming sensation he felt whenever he saw Ahsoka.

"Because... I did not think of that plan until I saw her." He stated. Scipio arched his eyebrow again as he noted the odd pause in Wraith's sentence.

"So upon discovering Ahsoka's presence, you chose to capture her instead of kill her." Scipio replied, restating Wraith's responses. "Killing her never once crossed your mind..." he noted.

"It did." Wraith quickly replied. "But I chose not to." Scipio instantly stood up.

"You turned down the chance to kill a Jedi?!" He exclaimed. "You worry me, my boy."

"Why? What have I done?" Wraith quickly responded.

"I'm afraid there is something about this Ahsoka that has bewitched you." Scipio gravely responding, staring straight into Wraith's optics.

"That's absurd!" Wraith declared. "The last person to ever control me would be a Jedi. Have you not rendered me immune to their mind tricks?" He replied, trying to deflect Scipio's train of thought.

"I have, but this is not a matter of control." Scipio replied. "It is matter of coherent, logical thought." Wraith was hesitant to reply. The doctor was clearly on to him. "What if you were to encounter the Twi'lek master, Aayla Secura?" Scipio asked him as he turned and started to pace around the room. "She is a Rutian Twi'lek and there is a very good reason why they are commonly sold as pleasure slaves. Or what of the other Togruta, Shaak Ti? She has been considered to be the finest example of her species... and no doubt very distracting. If you were to encounter either of them, would you hesitate as well?"

"I would cut them down without hesitation!" Wraith quickly replied, balling his hands into fists. He had seen what those other Jedi looked like, neither of them got his heart racing quite like Ahsoka did.

"Of course. You never hesitate when it comes to attacking Jedi, but with her you did." Scipio continued. "Now tell me why. Let me hear it from your own voice!" He commanded, staring very intently at his creation, wishing his helmet were capable of conveying emotion.

"I was... simply caught off-guard." Wraith stated. "That is why. I adapted to the change in the situation."

"Something that should've taken you mere milliseconds, not a full thirty seconds!" Scipio countered, raising his voice. "That's very unlike you, Wraith. Under any normal circumstances you don't get caught 'off-guard', nor do you take so long to 'adapt'." Letting his words sink in, creator and creation stared each other down as a tense silence filled the air. Finally, Scipio broke it with another question. "If you truly wanted to capture her for interrogation, then why didn't you slow her down? You have a plethora of anti-personnel weapons you could've used in any capacity to bring her down before she escaped through those doors. But you didn't!" Scipio crossed his arms behind his back. "Well?" He felt like he was interrogating his creation. But Wraith was acting very peculiar, so much unlike every previous interaction they had shared. Scipio continued to wait, expecting an answer.

But Wraith chose to remain silent.

An answer finally came to Scipio as he recalled studying activity in connection with emotional patterns. "By the stars," he gaped, "you didn't want to hurt her."

"A wounded prisoner is less likely to talk." Wraith coolly countered. But Scipio would have none of it. Deeming Wraith's mind as having wandered too far from his original personality, the doctor began walking towards the exit.

"Come with me." He ordered.

"Where are we going?" Wraith asked, curious as to the odd move as he turned to follow.

"I think you are due for a reconditioning session." The Pau'un replied. Wraith grabbed the doctor's arm and spun him around to face him.

"I assure you doctor, I am fine!" He firmly stated.

"Are you? Are you truly fine?" Scipio retorted. "You may say you're 'fine', but all it takes is for one young Togruta to worm her way into your mind and the next thing I know my own creation is fighting against me!"

"You speak foolishness!" Wraith growled. "I would never betray the Separatists!"

"Then why do you refuse a reconditioning session? Are you afraid it will override your desires for this Ahsoka?" Scipio snapped at him. Pausing to control his rising anger, Wraith stepped very close to Scipio until the two of them were merely inches away from each other, the soldier being forced to stare down at the Pau'un. The doctor could almost see the narrowed eyes of his creation behind those red optics as he gazed up at Wraith's armored helm.

"Because that program is designed to ensure I do not forget Separatist values. It ensures I remain fully committed to the cause, fine-tuning my brain so I am one with Separatist doctrine." Wraith replied. "And I am one with Separatist doctrine. Not once have I questioned the cause and not once have I defied it." The stare down continued as Wraith formed his next sentence. "Is it so wrong for me to think like a man once in a while? Is it so wrong for me to allow red-blooded desire to invade my thoughts?" Wraith questioned. "I am, after all, human." Scipio's eyes narrowed as the Pau'un let his soldier's words settle.

He dared to say such things?

"But you are more than just 'human'," Scipio growled, "you are a relentless killing machine! The perfect weapon, the perfect soldier, and I will not allow my creation be tainted by his sexual attraction to a common Togruta!" He yelled. His voice echoed throughout the room as Wraith and Scipio maintained eye contact for a few more moments before Wraith turned to leave, pushing past the doctor as he did. He left the room behind him, the clicking of his boots against the floor growing fainter and fainter as Scipio remained where he stood. The Pau'un took a breath as his emotions evened out and his thoughts quickly began to form a logical conclusion. It appeared Wraith's thoughts were growing erratic and beyond the normal parameters originally intended. Perhaps his string of prestigious victories had resulted in such an influx of abnormal behavior, or maybe it truly was his infatuation with this Ahsoka that had resulted in such thoughts and feelings. Regardless, Scipio knew that this could not stand. Wraith's mind needed to be cleansed and returned to his normal, calculated-Separatist-warrior-self.

He quickly determined that he needed to take action, something had to be done to corral Wraith's rampant thoughts. And his first decision was to pay a communication to Count Dooku...


Present day, in the Serenno system...

Scipio mulled over his heated exchange of words with Wraith over and over again as the two sat in silence aboard Wraith's personal shuttle. After speaking with Count Dooku the previous day and relaying his growing concerns, the count had contacted them later on and instructed them both to come to Serenno. He did not reveal why though and both of them dutifully agreed to do so without question, remembering the last time they had acted against Dooku's will. determined there was something wrong with his mind. As much as he would have preferred to do this in the isolation of their secret base and with a simple reconditioning session, Wraith was in no mood for such activities and Scipio lacked the strength to force him into one. His hope was that, whatever Count Dooku's plan was, it would be enough to fix Wraith's mentality. The doctor wished to never have another conversation like that with Wraith ever again.

Wraith's thoughts lay in the secrecy surrounding this venture. With Scipio revealing very little to him and Count Dooku not even explaining his reasoning for summoning them, Wraith could only hope that some dangerous mission of grave importance was being assigned to him. Ever since he had successfully defended himself on Gwori, Wraith was beginning to think highly of himself and his skills. The so-called 'best' of the Republic had been easily slaughtered by him and the Jedi stood no match for his skills. He thought little of his 'argument' with Scipio the other day and had hoped that such a display of power would help him to rise through the ranks of the Separatists.

Ultimately, his one true goal was to further the Separatist cause. But now, he wanted to play a bigger part in it. With such a vast amount of examples to prove himself, Wraith could only hope this trip to Count Dooku's homeworld was to honour him and perhaps promote him to a position of high standing among the members of the CIS.

"Coming up on Serenno." Wraith reported as they exited hyperspace. The streaks of starlight around them slowed to pinpoints on the black canvas of space as their destination suddenly came into view. A massive fleet of Separatist cruisers met them as their shuttle passed by, headed for Count Dooku's palace on the world below. "Really gotta wonder what Dooku has in store for us." He absentmindedly mused.

"If anything, my boy, it will be more for you than for me." Scipio quietly replied.

"I kind of hope so." Wraith chuckled in response, deciding to keep his thoughts to himself. "The last time you were the subject of Dooku's attention, you were getting choked." He quipped. Scipio made no reply as he remembered the occasion on which he had disobeyed Dooku and sent Wraith on an unsanctioned assassination mission to Mandalore.

He hoped similar treatment would not befall Wraith.

Scipio believed harsh treatment would only prove to push Wraith away, hardening his already contradictory will. He thought it best to take Wraith by surprise and fix him subconsciously, without using any forms of brute force.

There was a growing sense of unease within him as the two approached Serenno. One that would not be quelled any time soon.

Serenno proved to be a very lush world, sporting great forests, tall mountains and rolling grass plains. Wraith found it appropriate that a world of such natural beauty should be such a stronghold for the Separatist Alliance. In comparison with the grossly overpopulated Coruscant, Serenno appeared to be quite tranquil and serene. Their destination lay in the form of Count Dooku's cliff-side palace. Scipio was aware that Dooku had been heir to a massive fortune and his family history was long and respected. In fact, Dooku was the head of one of Serenno's Great Houses, making him something of a local celebrity. No doubt Dooku made the most of this, using his famous charisma, wealth and legacy to become a figurehead of the Separatists. The shuttle flew to the back of the palace and set down on a landing pad where Count Dooku was waiting. The two departed the shuttle side by side and were met by Dooku at the bottom of the landing ramp. The Count stood tall with his hands behind his back, an even and unreadable expression across his face. The scientist and soldier bowed respectfully.

"We came as soon as we could, my lord." Scipio informed him.

"Your promptness is to be commended. You are as obedient as you are efficient." Dooku replied. Wraith took this as high praise, a compliment from Count Dooku was certainly something to bask in.

"You are too kind, sir." Wraith replied as he and Scipio stood up. Dooku motioned for them to follow him inside the palace. Together, the group walked down a long ornate path, past rows of gardens and obelisk statues on their way to the entry of the palace.

"You have a most exquisite home, my lord." Scipio noted, his gaze captivated by the design of everything around him. "Your taste is most pristine."

"Thank you doctor." Dooku replied with a nod of his head. "And what about you Wraith? How do you feel about my humble abode?"

"I'm more used to battlefields and flat gray walls. But this is rather... pleasant." The soldier mused, taking in the sights around him. He certainly approved of such fine tastes. "Gotta admit, sir, you do know how to live."

"Often times, traveling from world to world on business wearies me. There aren't very many worlds aligned with the Separatists that share the same beauty Serenno does. I'm glad I can always come home to such a place." Dooku stated. Wraith found it interesting that his superior, and supreme leader, had such tastes or even possessed such thoughts and feelings. Wraith had always dealt with 'business' Dooku. To see such a different side of him was a most striking contrast indeed.

It just went to show that not all monsters lacked humanity.

The trio entered the palace, Dooku and Scipio pausing to let their eyes adjust to the lack of light while Wraith's optics automatically recalibrated. The Count led his two guests down a nearby stairwell that revealed a long corridor full of different access doors. After a quick scan of the structural design in comparison with the rest of the palace, Wraith had to guess this was some sort of private cellar or maintenance hub. No doubt the place required systems for water, heating, ventilation, electricity and the like. But Wraith still had to wonder why he and Scipio were in the bowels of the palace instead of in one of the main rooms.

Whatever the Sith Lord was planning, Wraith was beginning to feel concerned about his current situation.

Dooku led them down the corridor and through the last door on the left. Wraith and Scipio were suddenly aware of the openness of this apparent meeting room. Both guests had to wonder what kind of meetings took place down here. It was Wraith who gave voice to their queries.

"Out of curiosity, my lord, why are we down here?" He wondered. "I don't doubt you have some uses for it, but I never took you for the kind to bring guests to your basement." Dooku turned to him with a rather calm gaze.

"Trust me, my dear soldier, all will be made clear in due time." He replied. There was something in his voice. Some hidden element of knowing about what was to come that sent a chill through Wraith. He had not felt this before. This sense of unease mixed with wariness and mistrust. Something was clearly in the works and was being withheld from him. Without raising much suspicion, Wraith steeled himself for any kind of nasty surprise that might be waiting for him.

But what was waiting for them, was something most unexpected.

Off to the right, near the back of the room, stood a figure cloaked in a robe. A hood was hung over their head and their back was turned to them, concealing their identity. Both Wraith and Scipio immediately felt uneasy and uncertain about this individual and paused near the entrance to the door as Dooku continued further into the room, approaching the robed figure. About mid-way between his guests, the count turned and began to make introductions.

"Wraith, Doctor Scipio, this is my master and the supreme leader of Separatist Alliance: Darth Sidious." Sidious. Both Wraith and Scipio were relatively aware that Dooku reported to a higher power. But to see such a figure in person was truly... terrifying. The lone fact that someone had more power than Count Dooku was enough to rattle both Wraith and Scipio.

And that name. That villainous-sounding, fear-inducing name. Scipio was incapable of stopping the shiver that shot through his spine. Wraith himself felt even more on edge than he already had been.

Unless this 'Sidious' could prove himself a true friend, there was simply something about this Sith Lord that Wraith found... unnerving.

At the mention of his name, the cloaked figure turned around to reveal crimson robes beneath a crimson hood and deep blue shoulder cape. Golden clasps held his robe together and his large hood obscured his face, revealing only a human mouth and jaw.

"Ah... the young soldier I've heard so much about." Sidious greeted them. Scipio immediately dropped to one knee, as did Wraith, and bowed before the mighty Sith.

"Forgive us, my liege. We were unaware Lord Dooku was going to introduce us to you." Pomel quickly replied. "We are honored by your presence."

"Rise." Sidious commanded as he continued to regard them. They immediately did so. "And the honor is mine. To meet such a famed Separatist hero and his ingenious creator." The Sith began walking towards them, feet obscured by his long-hanging robe. "Your exploits are becoming renown throughout the galaxy, Wraith. As is your power over the Jedi." Sidious seemed to spit that last word, as though it were something vile he wished to get off his tongue.

"You flatter me, your lordship." Wraith replied. "I live to serve the Separatists." He quickly stated, not quite knowing what to say. That was certainly a first. Sidious seemed to dwell on his words as he walked around the tall soldier, his hooded head only reaching Wraith's chin.

"Yes... Yes you do serve, as you have been trained to do." Sidious noted. "But my apprentice tells me your thoughts have been rather contradictory as of late." His words sent a jolt of fear through Wraith's mind before he quickly quelled it.

"I do not understand." Sidious turned to face the soldier's back.

"Of course you do. You know exactly of what I speak." Sidious growled. "Through the Force I can see your mind and all your thoughts. You are an open book to me." The Sith hissed. "You know I speak of your growing affections for a certain young Togruta... the apprentice of Anakin Skywalker!"

"And what of them?" Wraith responded with little thought to his words. It seemed his conversation with Scipio was about to repeat itself. "Am I not allowed to feel such things?"

"And why should you?" Sidious wondered, moving back around to his front. "You said it yourself, you live to serve... so why should a servant feel anything for his enemy?" Wraith said nothing. His blood-red gaze followed Sidious' every move, tracking him thoroughly with unseen eyes. "I would've liked to offer you some advice in avoiding any sort of feelings for our hated enemies. But it seems you are already enticed with her." Sidious growled. "I can see she fills many of your thoughts."

"While you are in my head, may you also see how dedicated I am to the cause. There is nothing that could ever sway me from the Separatists... I'd rather die than join the Republic!" Wraith firmly declared.

"Is that so?" Sidious mused, walking a short distance away from the pair. "Is that really what you think?"

"Yes it is. I think there is nothing that could ever come between me and my loyalty to those I serve."

"Than you should also know that a servant thinks only when he is told to!" Sidious growled as he whipped around and promptly blasted Wraith with a burst of Force lightning. Wraith was knocked away from Scipio and slammed into the door frame behind him. The Pau'un was thoroughly startled by the sudden action. He looked to Sidious with a surprised and fearful gaze.

"M-My Lord?" He stammered, half-wondering if he would be next.

"You would be wise to join Count Dooku off to the side, Doctor." Sidious told him as he strode forward. "This is between myself and The Wraith." The final growl that left Sidious mouth indicated this was no suggestion but a command. Pomel promptly did as he was told and hurriedly joined Count Dooku off to the corner of the room.

"My lord, with all due respect," Scipio addressed the old man, "you said nothing about your master assaulting my creation!"

"Perhaps it is for the best, Pomel." Dooku replied. It was seldom he ever used Scipio's first name. "Admittedly, I am worried about the well being of your soldier after this... lesson. But perhaps, since Wraith seems to understand violence quite well, maybe violence is the only way to correct his thoughts." He mused. Scipio said nothing more and turned back to the growing fight.

Summoning the Force, Sidious lifted Wraith from the ground with a single outstretched hand and threw his body across the room. Wraith slammed into the wall before dropping to the ground, landing on all fours. The disoriented and stunned soldier, quickly began to process things. He knew that unnerving feeling about Sidious was for a good reason. He should have listened to his instincts!

Sidious was out to attack him.

"A good servant does not think about himself, but only about fulfilling the wishes of of his superiors." Sidious stated as he stalked towards the downed Wraith. "It appears that I need to remind you of this."

"And you need to be reminded of how I gained my name!" Wraith growled as he rose to a crouch, drawing a blaster and opening fire on the Sith. But Sidious simply raised his hands and summoned a Force barrier to deflect each and every shot. Wraith ceased firing as soon as he realized his efforts were futile and Sidious took the opportunity to use the Force to wrench the weapon out of Wraith's hands and send it skittering across the floor. Sidious shook his head disapprovingly.

"A good servant would never turn on his master." He stated.

"So that's what this is about? 'Educating' me on how to kneel even further?" Wraith wondered.

"From what I understand, Count Dooku tells me your exploits have gone to your head, inflating your pride with such victories which in turn has led you to think very highly of yourself." Sidious stated as he allowed Wraith to rise up. "And I am here to put you back in your place!" The Sith Lord declared as he sudden grabbed Wraith with the Force. Throwing his body up to the roof like that of a rag doll, Sidious promptly flung Wraith back across the room and sent him slamming into another wall, close to Scipio and Count Dooku. The Sith Lord chuckled as he calmly began to stride over to his victim, showing no visible signs of exhaustion or tiredness. Scipio and Dooku watched on as Wraith picked himself up with a groan. He knew his body could handle such duress, but never before had he ever encountered the Force so unleashed like this. It surprised him that not even the Jedi had tried it on him before. He smacked his helmet as a single, glitchy warning flashed across his HUD, indicating his recent tumble had knocked something loose. Scipio's gaze turned back to Sidious and swallowed nervously as the Sith Lord approached his creation. "Tell me Doctor, do you fear for your creation's life?" Sidious questioned, not even glancing at the Pau'un.

"To be... perfectly honest, my lord, I am a little concerned." Scipio nervously replied. "I... I-I hope his wounds will heal quickly." He added. Sidious briefly chuckled.

"That depends on how much discipline your creation requires." He replied. Scipio understood that Sidious would not stop until Wraith willing submitted, something that was not built into his nature.

"Um, my boy," Pomel quickly called to the rising Wraith, "perhaps you had better heed Darth Sidious' words." He informed him, hoping to try and get him off without further injury.

"You know what, Doc?" Wraith responded. "I think Lord Sidious simply wants a demonstration of what I'm capable of." His words sent pangs of worry ripping through Scipio's body. That was not what he wanted to hear. "He's heard the stories, now he wants to see for himself. I had to prove myself to Dooku, the Separatist Council... and now, to him-" Sidious' harsh laugh suddenly interrupted Wraith's reply.

"You arrogant fool!" He growled. "I care not for your abilities, only for your unwavering loyalty! Something you have yet to show me!" Wraith clenched his fists as Sidious flexed his hands. "With the Force on my side, you are nothing more to me than a speck of dust! Your power pales in comparison to mine." Sidious informed him.

"Then why haven't you destroyed the Jedi already?" Wraith shot back. Sidious' mouth curled into a snarl.

"Foolish slave!" The Sith reprimanded him as he simultaneously thrust both of his arms forward. Summoning the Force, Wraith suddenly felt his throat grow restricted as his airway was cut off by what felt like a pair of invisible hands. Scipio and Dooku watched, both with growing worry, as Wraith choked and gasped, desperate for air that was simply no longer there. Sidious growled as he increased his strength through the Force, intent on driving Wraith to his breaking point. "Must I also teach you respect?"

This was how bad servants were disciplined: by being thoroughly reminded as to who had power over them.

The crushing grip on his neck drove Wraith to his knees, air ripped from his lungs as Sidious choked the soldier mercilessly. But as his body was deprived of oxygen, Wraith's mind snapped into overdrive and he suddenly realized that this situation could be averted by a process of mind over matter. He began to focus, trying to override his body's instinctive need to take in oxygen.

Suddenly, much to Sidious' surprise, Wraith ceased to struggle and also ceased to breath. Further surprising the Sith Lord, and the two observers, Wraith stood up and raised himself to full height to stare down the Sith Lord.

"What is this?" Sidious wondered, moments before Wraith lunged forward and kicked him square in the chest, sending him flying backwards. As he landed on his feet, Wraith heaved his shoulders and breathed deeply. He glanced over to Scipio, who now bore a more relieved look.

"Can't choke what's not there." Wraith growled. "As long as my body struggled for oxygen, I couldn't function. By holding what little breath I had left, I managed to gain some clarity." He explained to Scipio, and by consequence Darth Sidious.

"An intriguing victory." The master Sith Lord mused as he climbed to his feet. "For the moment I will ignore the fact you struck me."

"I can strike more than once." Wraith stated, clearly unfazed by Sidious' desire to 'discipline' him.

"I see you are a proud servant. One who is in dire need of correction." Sidious mused. "Which means I must take more extreme measures." His statement was punctuated by the twin sounds of two lightsabers being ignited. Wraith quickly realized Sidious possessed two lightsabers moments before the Sith Lord leapt into the air and came barreling down towards the soldier with a roar. Wraith barely had time to raise his arms in defense just as both blades came down hard on his gauntlets. Sidious proceeded to strike again, attacking rapidly without mercy as he strove to crush Wraith's guard with a display of overwhelming power. Pushed back by the crimson tornado that was Sidious' lightsabers, Wraith stumbled away and managed to trigger his arm blades. A split second later, Sidious came rushing towards him only to clash with Wraith's extended weaponry. The unbreakable phrik would, hopefully, be Wraith's greatest ally in this fight. It's unique properties, granting it an immunity to lightsaber attacks, meant that Wraith would be able to achieve a comeback if he timed his strikes just right... and if he could catch a break.

Because right now, Sidious had no intention of letting up his assault.

Wraith did his best to parry the Sith Lord's strikes, hoping to put him off balance so he could move in and finish this. But Sidious was proving too skillful and simply too much for Wraith to simply strike when an opening presented itself. Whatever the history of this Sith, Wraith had to guess it involved eons of becoming immersed in the art of combat and the ways of the Force.

"Am I too much for you?" Sidious cackled as he ground his blades against Wraith's.

"I never surrender." The soldier promptly stated.

"Such prideful arrogance." The Sith noted in reply. Pulling back, Sidious paused to allow Wraith a moment. A moment the soldier took full advantage of. Wraith charged forward and dove in, ready to hack and slash at Sidious' lightsabers until they were extinguished.

But to his utter surprise, Sidious deactivated his weapons and allowed them to float in the air, suspended in place by the Force. Stretching out his hands, now curled into claws, Sidious shocked Wraith with a relentless torrent of Force lightning. The bolts of supernatural energy blasted him back and pinned him to a wall, detaining the soldier once more. The tech incorporated into Wraith's armor fizzled and shorted out, deactivating many of Wraith's essential weapons. But the short-circuiting devices zapped Wraith as well, sending double the pain shooting through his body as lightning shocked him and tech burned him. Wraith roared in pain as he dropped from the wall and fell to his hands and knees, lightning rippling across his body. His HUD grew filled with static, glitchy warnings of impending electrical overload flashing before his vision. But at last, Sidious ceased the electrical barrage and watched as Wraith's body heaved for air, gasping and panting from the duress of a thousand high-voltage shocks. Smoke wafted upwards from his now steaming body, sparks erupting from his gauntlets as his blades forcibly retracted themselves. Everything was running amok as Wraith fought to control his equipment, trying in vain to re-establish the powerful presence he once possessed. Scipio watched fearfully as his creation looked up, optics blinking between bright red and dull crimson as they tried to recalibrate. Wraith tried to summon his throwing knives, but the controls wouldn't respond. He tried to launch an explosive disc into his hand, but all he received was a burst of sparks. "You didn't need those anyway." Sidious mused as his lightsaber hilts disappeared within the sleeves of his robe. Wraith said nothing, struggling to rise.

"So what do I need?" He wondered, coughing as he recovered from the harsh electrocution.

"A simple reminder... that you serve and are not to be served." Sidious growled. "Your arrogance has led you to this moment. But it will take you no further."

"Me? Arrogant?" Wraith finally acknowledged the phrase Sidious had been using to describe him. "What I am is proven. A proven method to finally put an end to the Republic!" He exclaimed. Darth Sidious took note of Wraith's choice of words.

"Your reconditioning seems acceptable." He mused. "But it must be furthered so that you fully comprehend your place." Sidious promptly shocked Wraith with another burst of lightning. The force of the strike was enough to throw Wraith off his feet and knock him down. "You will submit to me!" Sidious growled, hands held dangerously before him as lightning rippled between his fingers.

"Give me a good reason!" Wraith retorted. His response was met with another electric shock.

"Go ahead and be stubborn," Sidious growled with a toothy smile, "I can keep this up as long as I please!" He cackled before more bolts leapt from his fingertips. Wraith writhed on the ground, finding himself weakened and incapable of rising. No matter how hard he tried to fight back all it earned him was more lightning and more pain. Growling as he suffered, Wraith hated himself for being so weak.

And who was this Sith Lord?

For being an ally, he sure was acting like an enemy. Wraith would have no difficulty opposing him any time soon. But, given his incredible power, how long could Wraith last against him? "You serve the Separatists! You are a servant!" Sidious snarled. "Submit to your master!" The punishing effects of Force lightning could be felt through Wraith's entire body. It frustrated him to know there was someone stronger than him. He was supposed to be the best, the deadliest warrior in the galaxy! And now he was being bested by a so-called ally, the master of his superior! "You will know your place!" Sidious thundered. With one final roar of frustration, Wraith ceased to struggle. Seeing his lack of movement, Sidious relented and allowed his lightning to dissipate. Smoke rose from Wraith's steaming body, his jacket thoroughly blackened by scorch marks. His helmet sparked and his optics had grown dim, no longer as blazing red as they had once been. His gauntlets fizzled as intricate circuitry short-circuited, completely fried by the unrelenting voltage. Scipio and Dooku looked on, visibly worried.

"Is he...?" The Pau'un wondered aloud, not daring to finish his sentence.

"If he is, Doctor, there is always Operation: Legacy." Sidious replied. But a grumbling sound from Wraith filled Scipio with relief as Sidious turned back to his victim. Groaning in pain and seemingly defeated, Wraith's head rolled from side to side as he tried to find the strength to rise.

"...TtThaAt... hrk... That hur-t... bzk..." Wraith managed to say as his voice modulator filled his words with static. With another groan he forced his left arm over his body in an attempt to roll over.

"Impressive," Sidious mused, "you are clearly no average man. Even the most seasoned of Jedi would've have succumbed by now." Wraith was proving far more resilient and far tougher than anyone Sidious had ever encountered, not the Jedi or even his own apprentices had ever endure such an onslaught. Wraith said nothing as he rolled onto his stomach, finding a small amount of resolve that encouraged him to at least push himself to his knees.

He had to wonder if this is what Skywalker felt like when he was beating him.

"Have you come to your senses?" Sidious asked him. "Or will your pride continue to sustain this rebellious spirit?" Wraith did not reply. Setting one hand against the wall, armor thoroughly tarnished, Wraith weakly pushed himself to his feet. It was a feat that took much effort as each movement left Wraith panting for breath. Struggling against his pain-wracked body, Wraith managed to stand... albeit not very high. Bent over from pain and exhaustion, he certainly did not look like the formidable foe that the Republic had faced. Not anymore. "I take your silent stance as a 'no'." Sidious mused, sounding disappointed. But his mood changed very abruptly. "Have it your way!" He snarled. Stretching out his hands, the Sith Lord began to slowly curl his hands into fists. Wraith doubled over further as his body felt suddenly constricted. The groaning of stressed metal alerted Wraith to his situation: Sidious was crushing him with his own armor! Wraith growled as the armor of his jacket grew tighter, cracking his ribs as the pressure grew. His arms felt like they were reaching the breaking point as his gauntlets squeezed his flesh. He could feel the circulation in his legs being cut off as his armored boots grew far too tight. Even his helmet began to groan as Force-based duress began to crush it, squeezing its already form-fitting size around his head. Wraith had to act fast, or else he wouldn't be able to act at all!

What in the galaxy was wrong with Sidious?! For someone who wanted to 'discipline' him, he certainly acted more like he wanted to kill him.

A fight-or-flight response kicking in, natural instinct told Wraith he needed to do whatever it took to survive. Pain he could handle. But with the way Sidious was acting, he could very well be crushed to death.

He needed to escape this hold... now!

Fighting against the Force, Wraith managed to draw one of his knives as he began to enact a plan. Upon his arrival to this room, he took note of a single light that was large enough to brighten the room.

It would be the perfect distraction.

"Are you trying to stab me?" Sidious asked, mocking the absurd move. "I could snap your arm with a single thought before you even reached me!" But that was not Wraith's intention. Had Sidious been more focused on reading Wraith's mind than he was crushing him, he would've seen Wraith's plan and known how to counter it.

But seeing as he was otherwise occupied with more sadistic measures, he failed to do so.

Briefly wresting control of his left arm from the Force, Wraith pitched his knife into the light-source, shattering the bulb and plunging the room into darkness. Sidious released his hold on Wraith and looked about the blackness. Scipio and Dooku were just as surprised by the sudden move. The clinking of metal against metal resounded in the quiet room, prompting Sidious to spur his need to see.

"Dooku, bring me light!" He commanded.

"At once, Master." Dooku replied as he summoned the Force to trigger backup lights mounted along the walls of the room. It took a moment for the power to kick in and the lights quickly warmed up and bathed the room in a darker, emergency glow.

And once their eyes had adjusted, a startling surprise awaited them.

Wraith had discarded much of his attire.

His jacket, boots, gauntlets, belt, everything armored had been removed from his body, preventing Sidious from gaining any more leverage over him. But what surprised them most was even Wraith's helmet and face mask lay on the ground. Dooku looked up and saw Wraith clad in only a formfitting shirt and combat pants. While mostly obscured by the low lighting, the true face of The Wraith had been partially revealed to him. Having never seen his true form before, Dooku was quite surprised. Scipio was equally surprised as he had never seen his creation take such measures before. But given the circumstances, he was doing whatever he could to survive. While Scipio was normally quite proud of seeing such instinctive planning, he feared the path Wraith had chosen would only result in more dire consequences for him. Darth Sidious suddenly realized that Wraith had purposefully distracted them in order to discard the armor he was using to crush him.

A rather ingenious move. But another display of a very rebellious spirit. One not befitting a loyal subject.

Wraith himself was feeling grateful for the less-constricting confines of his armor, but was a little worried about how exposed he was. The adrenaline rush from the near-death experience had restored much of his stamina but he felt very vulnerable outside of his all-encompassing armor.

"I think you might've gone too far with that move, Lord Sidious." He stated, his voice clear and strong without the synthetic modulation. "Discipline is supposed to be corrective pain... not killer."

"You would lecture me?" Sidious replied with a venomous edge in his words. "In your state of disadvantage, you would persist in telling me what to do?" The effort was almost astonishing. No one had ever done such things before.

Despite his mission to correct Wraith, Sidious couldn't help but find himself pleased with the soldier he was dealing with. He truly was a remarkable creation... one that was still in need of correction. The Sith Lord fell silent as he weighed the situation before him. He guessed this was Wraith's last effort at surviving before he had run out of ideas. With no tech, weapons or armor to aid him, Wraith stood alone against the dark power that flowed through Sidious. "Perhaps I have been a fool." The Sith Lord mused as he stretched out his hand. "I should've immediately taken the direct approach." Summoning the Force, Sidious forced Wraith to his knees, a supernatural power holding him in place. Expecting another onslaught of lightning, Wraith braced for the incoming pain.

But none came.

Sidious instead walked before the kneeling soldier, hand still outstretched. "You will submit to me." He plainly stated before gasping Wraith's skull in his grip. He could feel thick hair beneath his hand, evidence that Wraith was no droid.

Suddenly, bursts of lightning erupted from his hand as Sidious tapped directly into the soldier's mind. Wraith growled in agony as pain worse than a splitting headache pierced his body. "You live to serve the Separatist cause." Sidious declared.

"I... I..." Wraith could feel words forming in his head as the Force overwhelmed his natural functions and literally forced him to submit. "I serve the Separatist cause." He repeated in a strained voice.

"You seek to fulfill the will of my masters." Sidious continued.

"I seek to fulfill the will of my masters." Wraith repeated, gasping for breath.

"You do nothing of your own accord."

"I do nothing of my own accord."

"You are a servant to the cause."

"I am a servant to the cause." The flawless repetition caused a smirk to grow on Sidious' face. Wraith had finally submitted. But there was one last statement that needed to be heard, one that would cement his dominance over the willpower of The Wraith.

"You feel nothing for Ahsoka Tano." He stated.

But this time, Wraith did not immediately respond.

The soldier struggled to speak. Incoherent words formed on his tongue and came out sounding like gasps and growls.

"I... I-I..." He managed to say. But still the desired phrase went unspoken. Sidious frowned and increased his lightning, covering Wraith's head with painful bolts.

"You feel nothing for Ahsoka Tano!" Sidious firmly repeated, summoning the Force to demand Wraith repeat the phrase and drive every last ounce of rebellion out of him.

"I... I feel... nothing..." Wraith began to say but struggled to do so. Sidious waited patiently for him to finish. "I feel nothing... for the... apprentice... of Skywalker." Wraith stated after much effort. Sidious growled as he realized it was not what he had said.

"Say it!" He roared, blasting Wraith with Force lightning. "Say her name!" He commanded him. Wraith screamed as the bolts of lightning went straight to his brain.

"I FEEL NOTHING FOR AHSOKA TANO!" He cried.

Suddenly, all at once, the lightning ceased. His mind was his once more and the invasive presence vanished. Wraith fell to his hands, gasping for air as Sidious took a step back as if he were admiring his work.

"You will do all that we ask. Understood?" Sidious waited for Wraith to reply, anticipating expected results from his dose of 'reconditioning'.

"Yes... Master." Wraith replied between pants. Sidious smiled once again.

"Very good soldier. You have proven yourself to me." He calmly stated. "Now you see that when you do as I ask, all will be well."

"Yes Master." Wraith nodded in understanding.

"Good, good." Sidious muttered, satisfied. He turned back to the two others in the room. "Doctor, you may see to your creation. Dooku, a moment of your time." He instructed, beckoning his apprentice to join him. Both did as they were told. Scipio rushed over to his downed creation.

"Can you hear me, my boy? How do you feel?" He asked, trying to assess the damage.

"Like hell." Wraith grumbled before collapsing to the floor.

"Take it easy, no sudden movements." Scipio instructed him. "Your body has been engineered to handle great strain... but you may have reached your limit."

"I'll say." Wraith coughed. Scipio proceeded to examine Wraith's bruised and battered body with his hands and eyes, looking for any problematic issues that required his immediate attention. Fortunately, apart from bone fractures and electrical burns, nothing major had come to the surface. The two were joined by Dooku moments later.

"My master wishes you well on your endeavors Wraith and would like to congratulate you, Scipio, on your prestigious achievement in creating the perfect soldier. Lord Sidious was impressed by what skills he witnessed." The Count informed them.

"With all due respect sir, I'm not entirely in the mood for compliments right now." Scipio admitted with a sigh.

"I can't say that I blame you. It appears you have your work cut out for you." Dooku replied with a nod. Pausing to examine the face of The Wraith, Dooku was rather surprised by what he saw. For a bloodthirsty warrior whose very name was a harbinger of defeat and spelled death for all who attacked him, his looks were certainly not that of a gruff, veteran soldier. "So that's what he looks like under the helmet." Dooku mused. "I didn't think he looked so... youthful."

"A side effect of the serum I'd say." Scipio off-handedly replied, mind otherwise occupied by what he deemed to be more important matters. "If I could trouble you a little further, my lord, you wouldn't happen to have a medical bay nearby, would you?" He inquired.


Later that night, on Coruscant...

Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine sat alone in his office on Coruscant. The night sky over the city provided a brilliant backdrop to the innumerable lights provided by the cityscape behind him. Alone with his thoughts, the Chancellor reflected on his discoveries and actions made that day... and his very up-close encounter with The Wraith.

For Chancellor Palpatine was in fact Darth Sidious, the evil and diabolical genius behind the likes of Count Dooku and the Separatists.

Palpatine was a quiet but cunning man, very capable of using his words to persuade others to follow his plans. But in action, he could be very swift and use whatever means were at hand to save his plans from failure or to bring about correction where needed.

Such was the nature of his meeting with The Wraith. For such a brilliant creation, capable of many remarkable feats, the only limitations upon him were put there by Palpatine himself. For without them Wraith would be no different than a mercenary.

Well, there was one difference: Wraith had been engineered to be perfect. And he seemingly knew this.

Palpatine desired control over all aspects of his plans. The Separatists were part of a much bigger plan, a plan that ended with the triumphal return of the Sith, the complete destruction of the Jedi and his total rule over the entire galaxy.

But the presence of The Wraith could very well change his plans.

He had a vision for his rule to be widespread, a galactic empire where his word was law. But with a self-enabled, mentally strong and bold-spirited soldier in his reality, Wraith could eventually challenge him and maybe even overthrow him, as long as he wasn't kept in check.

Palpatine's primary concern was with those who were strong in the Force, those capable of matching his wits and strength and proving able to overcome even his power. But despite his lack of connection to the Force, Wraith was swiftly becoming one of those threats.

That was why Palpatine needed to deal with him. He acted under the guise he was correcting Wraith's feelings for Ahsoka Tano and bringing him to heel. But in reality, he was ensuring Wraith would be his loyal subject... someone who could be counted on to never turn against him. But if Wraith's rebellious spirit continued, Palpatine may have no choice but to put an end to him. As much as he did not like having to waste such resources... he would be left with few other options. If Wraith continued to act on his own and pursue his own ambitions, ambitions that could interfere with Palpatine's master plan, then he would have to be destroyed. Palpatine knew Wraith despised Anakin Skywalker, seeking to do-in the powerful Jedi Knight whenever he got the chance. But if Wraith so much as expressed the potential to kill this Jedi... well... he would soon find himself on death's door instead.

Shifting focus, Palaptine leaned back in his chair as he began to explore different possibilities of having a loyal soldier like Wraith by his side. With a little more 'discipline' and some continued efforts in reigning him in, Wraith could be one of his most powerful allies.

Yes... He could see it now... 'Emperor Palpatine', flanked by his apprentice, the 'Chosen One', and his bodyguard, The Wraith. Such a triune force of immense power would never be challenged.

Perhaps Wraith would not have to die. Perhaps, as long as he served obediently, he could be further trained to become a great asset.

But if he possessed any visions of grandeur, visions that resulted in the death of the one Jedi Palpatine was secretly grooming for his service, then The Wraith would have to be killed.

Palpatine made a note to update the orders of the Office of the Chancellor. Powering up a datapad, the Chancellor quickly jotted down what would become his newest order... should push come to shove, of course.

"Order 151: The immediate elimination of the Separatist commando designated 'The Wraith'. All Republic Grand Army units are to pursue said commando and target with extreme prejudice." He read aloud. It sounded good, it sounded proper for a direct order coming from his office. Palpatine nodded as he reread the words in his mind. "Just in case." He mused.


Author's Note: Shoutout again to SAK-96 for the idea that evolved into this chapter! And until next time, may the Force be with you all!